Camp-stool



(No Model.) 6 z sheets-snee; ll1. W. A. URBANUS.

CAMP STOOL.

l No. 676,636. "Patented Peb. 9,'1897.

Ing/erzor ZMQW v (N'o Mdel.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. A. URBANUS.

CAMP STOOL.

Patented Feb. 9, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENTV OFFICE.

VILLIAM A. URBANUS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAM P-STOO L.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,636, dated February 9, 1897.

Application filed January 14, 1896l Serial No. 575,534. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. URBANUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Camp-Stools; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a camp-stool which may be readily transformed into a head-rest and which may be folded into compact form for transportation. The frame of the stool is formed of wire rods pivoted to a central block or rigid frame and radiating therefrom upwardly and downwardly, the u pper rods being adapted to fold downwardly and being held by a flexible seat and the lower rods being adapted to fold toward each other.

The invention consists, further, in various parts and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the stool. Fig. 2 is a detail plan section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the device used as a head-rest. Fig. 4 shows the frame in a collapsed condition. Figs. 5 to S are details of the pieces forming the central binding-block, and Fig. 9 is a plan view of a spreader. Fig. 10 isa detail of one of the stop-pins.

The central block A is composed of several members, as will be hereinafterfully set forth. The arms 2, 3, 4, and 5, forming the base of the stool, and the arms 6, 7, S, and 9 for supporting its seat B are pivotally attached to the central block A in such manner as to swing in planes spaced apart ninety degrees, radiating from the vertical axis of the stool, and are arranged in pairs, each pair comprising one member of each set. The members of each pair of arms are secured by a common pivot-pin, the arms 2 6 being held by the pin 10, the arms 3 7 by the pin 11, the arms 4 8 by the pin 12, and the arms 5 9 by the pin 13. The central block A has four upwardly and four downwardly projecting arms, one in each of the planes, in which the arms 2 to 9, respectively, move, these arms of the central block being spaced to receive the arms 2 to 9, so asto prevent lateral displacement thereof. Each of the arms of the central block A is pro vided with a stop to limit the movement of the arms 2 to As shown, these stops are simple pins 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21.

The pins 14, 15, 16, and 18, coperatin g with thev arms forming the base of the stool, are so set as to limitthe outward movement or spreading of these arms. The pins 18, 17 20, and 21 are so set as to stop the upward movement of the seat-carrying arms 6, 7, 8, and 9, leaving these arms free to be folded downwardly. The outer ends of the arms 2, 3, 4, and 5 are tied together by a flexible cord C, which is taut when these arms have reached the limit of their outward movement. The function of this cord is to strengthen the arms, so that they may be made of lighter wire than would be possible without it.

Y The upper ends of the arms 6, 7, S, and 9 are united by the seat B, which may be of any suitable material. lVeight applied to the seat B will tend to draw the arms 6, 7, 8, and 9 together. The position of the pins 18, 17, 20, and 21 is such that the seat B is held taut. The elasticity of the arms 6, 7, S, and 9 is such that the seat yields enough to make it comfortable to the user. There is nodanger of the collapse of the stool under pressure upon its seat, even though such pressure be not evenly distributed, as the distance between -the ends of the arms 6, 7, 8, and 9 increases as they approach the horizontal.

f The central block A has for its foundation a main member 22, out out of heavy sheet metal and having an approximately oblong rectangular portion and four radiating arms, one emanating from each of its angles. Upon each side of this member and midway of its length is fixed a piece 23, which in form and size equals one-half of the member 22, so that the three pieces 22 23 23 form a cross each of whose arms is divided in an vupwardly and a downwardlyinclined arm. Throughthisbody portion are set the pivot-pins 10 11 12 13. Upon the outer ends of these pivot-pins are secured side pieces 24. Each end of these pieces is approximately the shape of onequarter of the member 22, and, the piece be- IOO ing bent to a right angle along the line 2i, so that the piece may be set into one of the angles of the body portion comprising the pieces 22 23 23, one of its ends will cooperate with one of the downwardly-inclined arms and the other with one of the upwardly-inclined arms of this body portion. In this manner are formed the spaces within which the arms 2 to i) move and across which are set the stop-pins 14c to 2l, which serve the added purpose of securing the pieces 24: in position, as they are formed with reduced ends, as shown in Fig. l0, so that the pieces 2i may be set up tightly against a shoulder by riveting the ends of the pins.

A spreader 25, consisting of a piece of sheet metal with suitable apertures, is fitted upon the arms 2, I5, 4, and so as to slide thereon. To spread these arms, the piece 25 is pushed up to the body portion A and there secured by a catch 22, depending from the piece 22 and adapted to enter an aperture 25n in the spreader. This catch consists of two resilient arms capable of being pressed together to enter the aperture of the plate 25, each being provided with a lateral lng or stop to retain the plate when it has been brought into engagement with the catch. The form of the spreader may be varied as desired. I show a simple and serviceable form, but do not wish to be limited to it.

To admit of the transformation of the stool into a head-rest, provision is made for stretching the seat B between the ends of two adjacent supporting-arms, as 2 3, and two of the seat-carrying arms, as 6 7, cooperating with them, the stool being turned upon its side, so that the arms 4 5 and 8 9 rest upon the iioor or ground. The height of the stool is greater than its width, so that a seat adapted to the top of the stool is not large enough to reach to the ends of the arms when applied as a head-rest. Consequently at two of its corners are located short cords 26 27, having hooks at their outer ends for engagement with the outer ends of the arms 2 3, which are turned to loop form, and a pair of cords 2S 29 lead from the ou ter ends of the arms 3 9 through the looped ends of the arms 7 6 and are provided with hooks for attachment to the corners of the seat B. These cords 28 29 are enough longer than the distance between the extreme ends of the arms 6 9 and 7 8 to reach the corners of the seat B when the latter is properly located midway between the ends of the arms 2 3 and the arms G 7. The use of these cords 2S 29 counteracts the natural tendency of the strain from the weight of the head ot' the user to swing the arms 6 7 backwardly upon their pivot-pins, as such movement involves the still farther separation of the arms 6 9 and 7 8, which is impossible while they are connected by the nonelastic cords. collapse of the arms 2 3.

The spreader 25 prevents the ,l

rlhe stool is folded to the compact form shown in Fig. 4t by detaching three of the corners of the seat, sliding down the spreader 25 to the outer ends of the arms 2, 3, 4, and 5, then folding down the arms G, 7, S, and 9 until they lie alongside of the lower arms.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a camp-stool the combination with a flat vertical plate, 22, having two upwardly and two downwardly radiating arms, a pair of flat plates, 23, each having a downwardly and an upwardly radiating arm and alateral flange for vertical attachment to the plate 22, four angle-plates each having an upwardly and a downwardly projecting arm, such angle-plates being secured by rivets one within each of the angles formed by the union of the plates 22, 23, and spaced apart therefrom, four supporting-arms pivotallysecured within alternate spaces between the angle-plates and the plates 22, 23, so as to swing between the downwardly-projecting arm of the angleplate and the adjacent arm of the plate 22 or 23, four seat-carrying arms pivotally secured within alternate spaces between the angleplates and the plates 22, 23, so as to swing between the upwardly-projecting arm of the angle-plateand the plate 22 or 23, stops for limiting the outward movement of the supporting-arms from the perpendicular to less than ninety degrees, stops to limit the mutual approach of the seat-carrying arms at a predetermined angle above the horizontal, and a seat detachably stretched between the ends of the seat-carrying arms when in their elc- Vated position.

2. In a collapsible Camp-stool, the combination with a central block, of four supportinglegs pivotally attached to the block so as to spread radially, stops for limiting the spread of the legs, means for holding the legs in their spread position, four seat-carrying arms pivotally attached to the central block so as to fold downwardly against the legs and adapted to be turned upwardly, means for limiting the mutual approach of the arms when projected upwardly, a flexible seat adapted to be stretched between the ends of the arms, two cords or cables, 2S, 29, attached to the ends of adjacent arms and each being in sliding engagement with one of the remaining arms, such cords being longer than the distance between the ends of adjacent arms when in their upturned position, cords or cables attached to two adjacent corners of the seat, whereby the seat may be attached to the ends of two adjacent legs and to the free ends of the cords 28, 29, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM A. URBANUS.

IVitnesses:

Louis K. GiLLsoN, SPENCER WARD.

IOO

IIO 

